Keliber
Keliber is a Finnish mining company that extracts lithium from spodumene deposits in Central Ostrobothnia and processes it into battery-grade lithium hydroxide for European battery manufacturers and EV producers. It operates Europe's first battery-grade lithium mine, launched in February 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersKaustinen, Finland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Keliber does
Keliber Oy is a Finnish mining and mineral processing company that extracts lithium from spodumene pegmatite deposits in the Kaustinen area of Central Ostrobothnia, Finland, and processes it into battery-grade lithium hydroxide. The company is positioned as Europe's first battery-grade lithium mine, with commercial production launched in February 2026 after an approximately €800 million capital investment. Keliber is a subsidiary of Sibanye-Stillwater (approximately 80% ownership acquired in November 2022), with Finnish Minerals Group, a Finnish state-owned entity, retaining the remaining 20% stake.
The company's core product is battery-grade lithium hydroxide sold via B2B direct sales to European battery manufacturers and electric vehicle producers. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting the European battery and EV supply chain, where it competes on the basis of domestic origin, shorter delivery distances, and alignment with EU Critical Raw Material Act objectives. The technology stack combines hard-rock spodumene extraction with hydroxide processing, supported by Valmet's DNA automation platform, Neles and Flowrox valve technologies, and IoT-enabled predictive maintenance for operational efficiency and environmental compliance.
The project is expected to create approximately 350 jobs in western Finland. Headcount was reported at 11-50 employees prior to the production ramp, indicating a major scale-up in progress. The company is led by CEO Hannu Hautala and CFO Riku Sauso, with corporate communications handled by Katri Kukkonen and investor relations managed at the Sibanye-Stillwater parent level by James Wellsted.
Keliber firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Keliber
- Legal name
- Keliber Oy
- Website
- https://keliber.fi
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Keliber is a Finnish mining company that extracts lithium from spodumene deposits in Central Ostrobothnia and processes it into battery-grade lithium hydroxide for European battery manufacturers and EV producers. It operates Europe's first battery-grade lithium mine, launched in February 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Keliber industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lithium Mining and Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide Production
- SIC
- Metal Mining (1000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lithium Mining & Brine Extraction (IMAKAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Battery-Grade Chemical Processing (LiOH/Li2CO3, Ni/Co Sulfates, Mn Sulfate) (IMAKAFAI), Battery Raw Materials Mining & Refining (Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese, Graphite) (EUAFABAA)
Keywords
Where Keliber is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kaustinen
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Keliber business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Battery-grade lithium hydroxide sales: Revenue generated from extracting lithium from hard rocks and processing it into lithium hydroxide for batteries, sold to battery manufacturers and EV producers in Europe
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Keliber product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Keliber operates a lithium mining and processing facility in Kaustinen, western Finland, extracting lithium from spodumene pegmatite hard rock deposits and refining it into battery-grade lithium hydroxide. The output is sold as a critical raw material to European battery manufacturers and electric vehicle producers, supporting the EU's domestic battery supply chain. Production began in February 2026, making it Europe's first battery-grade lithium mine.
Product overview
Keliber is a lithium mining and processing company that operates a hard rock lithium extraction and refinement operation in the Kaustinen area of western Finland. The company extracts lithium from hard rock deposits and processes it into battery-grade lithium hydroxide for batteries. Keliber is a subsidiary of Sibanye-Stillwater (approximately 80% ownership) with Finnish Minerals Group holding the remaining 20%. The project represents an approximately €800 million investment and is Europe's first battery-grade lithium production operation, supporting the EU's critical raw material independence objectives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Keliber Lithium Mine and Processing Operation (Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide) Lithium mining and processing operation in Kaustinen, western Finland, extracting lithium from hard rock (spodumene) deposits and refining it into battery-grade lithium hydroxide for sale to European battery manufacturers and electric vehicle producers. Represents Europe's first battery-grade lithium mine.
Quantifiable outcome
- Europe's first battery-grade lithium mine operational
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Keliber
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Keliber technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability1 record
Feature3 records
Keliber partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- ValmetcoreValmet provides DNA automation platforms for the Keliber lithium project, enabling operational efficiency, safety, and environmental compliance in mineral processing facilities.
- NelessupportingNeles provides specialized valve technologies for flow control in the lithium processing operations.
- FlowroxsupportingFlowrox provides specialized valve technologies for flow control in the lithium processing operations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Keliber competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- European Lithium: European Lithium is developing the Wolfsberg hard-rock lithium project in Austria, targeting battery-grade lithium hydroxide production for European customers. It is a direct peer as a Europe-based hard-rock lithium developer serving the same customer base.
- Savannah Resources: Savannah is developing the Barroso lithium project in Portugal, one of Europe's largest hard-rock spodumene deposits, with downstream processing into lithium concentrates and chemicals. It competes with Keliber for the role of European domestic lithium supplier to battery manufacturers.
- Piedmont Lithium: Piedmont Lithium is a hard-rock spodumene lithium developer with assets in North Carolina and a strategic partnership with Tesla. It is a direct peer in the spodumene-to-lithium-hydroxide value chain targeting the EV battery market.
- Liontown Resources: Liontown operates the Kathleen Valley hard-rock lithium mine in Western Australia, producing spodumene concentrate and lithium hydroxide. It is a direct peer in spodumene-based lithium production with downstream hydroxide conversion capabilities.
- Vulcan Energy Resources: Vulcan is developing Europe's other flagship lithium project, extracting lithium from geothermal brines in the Upper Rhine Valley (Germany) to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide. Like Keliber, it targets the European battery and EV supply chain and benefits from EU Critical Raw Materials Act support, making it the most directly comparable European lithium developer.
Broad incumbents
- SQM: SQM is a major Chilean lithium and specialty chemicals producer, extracting lithium from the Salar de Atacama. It is a broad incumbent supplying battery-grade lithium to global markets, including European customers that Keliber also targets.
- Allkem: Allkem (now merged with Livent to form Arcadium Lithium) is a large, diversified global lithium producer operating brine and hard-rock assets across Argentina, Australia, and Canada. It is a broad incumbent supplying lithium chemicals to the same global battery customer base as Keliber.
- Albemarle Corporation: Albemarle is the world's largest lithium producer, with diversified brine and hard-rock operations across Chile, Australia, and the US. It is a broad incumbent serving the same global battery-grade lithium hydroxide market as Keliber.
- Tianqi Lithium: Tianqi is a major Chinese-controlled global lithium producer, with hard-rock operations in Australia and downstream hydroxide conversion assets. It is a broad incumbent that competes with Keliber for European battery-grade lithium hydroxide demand.
Emerging players
- Mineral Resources: Mineral Resources operates the Mt Marion hard-rock lithium mine in Australia and is developing downstream hydroxide conversion capacity. It is an emerging player in the upstream-to-midstream lithium value chain that mirrors Keliber's integrated model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Keliber social profiles
Digital presenceKeliber financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Keliber leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Keliber funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Keliber M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Keliber
What does Keliber do?
Keliber operates a lithium mining and processing facility in Kaustinen, western Finland, extracting lithium from spodumene pegmatite hard rock deposits and refining it into battery-grade lithium hydroxide. The output is sold as a critical raw material to European battery manufacturers and electric vehicle producers, supporting the EU's domestic battery supply chain. Production began in February 2026, making it Europe's first battery-grade lithium mine.
Is Keliber a public or private company?
Keliber is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Keliber founded?
Keliber was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Keliber based?
Keliber is headquartered in Kaustinen, Finland, in the Europe region.
How does Keliber make money?
One revenue line is on record: battery-grade lithium hydroxide sales.
Who are Keliber's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are European Lithium, Savannah Resources, Piedmont Lithium, Liontown Resources and Vulcan Energy Resources. Broad incumbents are SQM, Allkem, Albemarle Corporation and Tianqi Lithium. Mineral Resources is listed as an emerging player.
Does Keliber have an API?
No public API is recorded for Keliber.
What industry is Keliber in?
Keliber's product category is Lithium Mining and Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKAFAA, Lithium Mining & Brine Extraction, with a secondary code of IMAKAFAI, Battery-Grade Chemical Processing (LiOH/Li2CO3, Ni/Co Sulfates, Mn Sulfate). Its SIC code is 1000.